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The musicalMatilda, which is based on the children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl, tells the story of Matilda (Jenna Weir), an incredibly intelligent five-year-old, as she overcomes the struggles of her abusive home life, discovers her own unique abilities, and helps her beloved teacher, Miss Honey (Jennifer Bowles), take back her life. Despite its seemingly dark subject matter, the musical is quite upbeat and heartwarming, with several examples…

The King and I, one of many successful pieces created by the duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, is based off of Margaret Landon’s 1944 novelAnna and the King of Siam, which is derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, the governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the 1860s. In similar fashion, the musical tells the story of Anna and her relationship with the King of Siam as he attempts to bring the influence of the Western world to…

The musicalMamma Mia!tells the story of a young woman named Sophie who wants to find out who her father is before she is married to her fiancé, Sky. As she gets to know her three possible fathers throughout the few days before her wedding, she also becomes closer with her mother, which ultimately helps her discover what she truly wants from her life. The show, which is mostly comedic in nature with some emotional touches, is beloved by many, especially…

When I entered the Orpheum Theater for the opening night performance ofThe Bodyguard, I was expecting nothing more than a corny musical filled with Whitney Houston songs and 80’s rom-com clichés. However, although some parts of the plot definitely delivered on the expected cheesiness, I was pleasantly surprised by the show’s elaborate dance numbers and overall fun and fast-paced energy. It wasn’t a perfect show, but it had a lot of strong redeeming…